Broadway Subway - Millennium Line Extension to Arbutus | U/C

[Jimbo604]

Main and Broadway future station site

Photo credit: me

[Jimbo604]

Yellow chain fence that previously blocked off part of the parking lot has been REMOVED! This worker was removing the in-ground bases that the fence previously bolted onto.

Photo credit: me

[SpongeG]

thanks for the pics. I thought it was only the old Tim Hortoins that was going to get demolished, I was surprised last time I drove past to see that the block was all fenced off, is it all for the station? or just for construction purposes?

[Migrant_Coconut]

This should clear it up.

[SpongeG]

ah ok. So once construction is done it can be developed again.

[jollyburger]

Lots of drilling happening this Spring for the tunneling work.

https://www.broadwaysubway.ca/app/uploads/sites/626/2021/01/2021-01-25_-Geotech-Notification.pdf

[Migrant_Coconut]

Geotechnical... investigation? Eh, we've waited twenty-plus years already - they can go as fast as they want.

[casper]

Originally Posted by Migrant_Coconut

Geotechnical... investigation? Eh, we've waited twenty-plus years already - they can go as fast as they want.

I am ok with Geotechnical Investigations.

Ottawa had delays because they found unexpected conditions. The Evergreen extension had minor issue due to soil conditions.

This may be one of these things where going slow now so they go fast later on pays off.

[casper]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

thanks for the pics. I thought it was only the old Tim Hortoins that was going to get demolished, I was surprised last time I drove past to see that the block was all fenced off, is it all for the station? or just for construction purposes?

So many childhood memories destroyed. That use to be the bank my parents went to and as a little one I followed along. It was a very old school CIBC. Complete with wood paneling and marble. It was a very old school bank building. After getting cash it was off to either the Woolworth a block away on Main St or the Field's in Kingsgate mall.

That entire intersection have evolved dramatically since the 1980s. Would have rather seen Kingsgate mall disappear instead of the bank building. But that does not like it would work.

[djh]

Originally Posted by casper

That entire intersection have evolved dramatically since the 1980s. Would have rather seen Kingsgate mall disappear instead of the bank building. But that does not like it would work.

Kingsgate Mall is owned by the Vancouver School Board, IIRC. Must be one of the most valuable and underdeveloped lots in the city.

It would be astute of the owners to engage developers now that the SkyTrain will stop right nearby. I wouldn't be surprised if they already have plans for a completely new development already drawn up and ready for submission. I'm not starting a rumour here. Just the number of years these things take, they surely have thought about how SkyTrain will boost the foot traffic and land value in the area, so how best could they benefit long-term from the changes.

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by djh

Kingsgate Mall is owned by the Vancouver School Board, IIRC. Must be one of the most valuable and underdeveloped lots in the city.

It would be astute of the owners to engage developers now that the SkyTrain will stop right nearby. I wouldn't be surprised if they already have plans for a completely new development already drawn up and ready for submission. I'm not starting a rumour here. Just the number of years these things take, they surely have thought about how SkyTrain will boost the foot traffic and land value in the area, so how best could they benefit long-term from the changes.

Don't count on it. Developers Beedie have a 99 year lease that they obtained in 2006. They talked to the School Board about redevelopment, but different iterations of the Board haven't been willing to settle on a redevelopment. In 2016 the Liberal provincial government tried to get the Board to sell it. They wouldn't, and were then all removed from their posts, and an administrator was put in charge for a while. In 2019 a Trustee on the Board suggested that there should be a redevelopment with one tower used as rental housing for VSB staff, but obviously Beedie would have to be on board, or willing to give up their lease. It's possible that behind the scenes there are negotiations, and a proposal for a leasehold project might emerge. It's equally possible that nothing's happening yet. At least the Mount Pleasant Plan contemplated redevelopment, so the anti-tower element of the population have far less they can legitimately object to - not that it'll stop some of them.

[jollyburger]

Originally Posted by djh

Kingsgate Mall is owned by the Vancouver School Board, IIRC. Must be one of the most valuable and underdeveloped lots in the city.

It would be astute of the owners to engage developers now that the SkyTrain will stop right nearby. I wouldn't be surprised if they already have plans for a completely new development already drawn up and ready for submission. I'm not starting a rumour here. Just the number of years these things take, they surely have thought about how SkyTrain will boost the foot traffic and land value in the area, so how best could they benefit long-term from the changes.

Sorry, but how is the Kingsgate Mall is one of the most valuable and underdeveloped lots in the city?

I wonder if they'll allow that site to be redeveloped to at least the same height as the Independent? The preveious planning documents wanted it to transition down as it went east.

https://vancouver.ca/files/cov/mount-ple...plementation-package-2-broadway-east.pdf

The lease only has 60 years left which might also factor into negotiations.

[Migrant_Coconut]

Originally Posted by casper

This may be one of these things where going slow now so they go fast later on pays off.

Most likely. Worth noting, however, that preliminary work has been going on since last year; killing two birds with one stone may have been prudent.

Originally Posted by djh

It would be astute of the owners to engage developers now that the SkyTrain will stop right nearby. I wouldn't be surprised if they already have plans for a completely new development already drawn up and ready for submission. I'm not starting a rumour here. Just the number of years these things take, they surely have thought about how SkyTrain will boost the foot traffic and land value in the area, so how best could they benefit long-term from the changes.

I wouldn't accuse the VSB of having common sense. They won't even give up QE Annex.

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by Migrant_Coconut

Most likely. Worth noting, however, that preliminary work has been going on since last year; killing two birds with one stone may have been prudent.

A lot of the preliminary geotechnical work was to establish baseline data to inform the potential bidders. Now that there's a successful bidding tunnel contractor, they presumably want to check/add information as they're now liable for building the project on time and on budget.

[casper]

Originally Posted by jollyburger

Sorry, but how is the Kingsgate Mall is one of the most valuable and underdeveloped lots in the city?

I wonder if they'll allow that site to be redeveloped to at least the same height as the Independent? The preveious planning documents wanted it to transition down as it went east.

https://vancouver.ca/files/cov/mount-ple...plementation-package-2-broadway-east.pdf

The lease only has 60 years left which might also factor into negotiations.

I vote for going taller. Some of the older brick buildings near Broadway and Main have character. This little shipping center has no character. They should be able to come up with a deal where you have two stores of shops with a library in the mix. Another two-three floors of office/flex space the VSB can use and then a mix of social housing and commercial condos on top.

Perhaps now that we know where the stations are going it makes sense to take all the community plans and bump up the maximum Hight of everything within 5 blocks by 20%.

[scryer]

Originally Posted by casper

I vote for going taller. Some of the older brick buildings near Broadway and Main have character. This little shipping center has no character. They should be able to come up with a deal where you have two stores of shops with a library in the mix. Another two-three floors of office/flex space the VSB can use and then a mix of social housing and commercial condos on top.

Or have a rental portion for the general population. I don't think that social housing will fly in that area TBH. Or I would also like to see a mix of retail and an expanded gym area like the YMCA on Burrard street in downtown Vancouver.

Originally Posted by casper

Perhaps now that we know where the stations are going it makes sense to take all the community plans and bump up the maximum Hight of everything within 5 blocks by 20%.

Agreed. But our city likes to cut the red tape one lot at a time.

[Migrant_Coconut]

Originally Posted by casper

I vote for going taller. Some of the older brick buildings near Broadway and Main have character. This little shipping center has no character. They should be able to come up with a deal where you have two stores of shops with a library in the mix. Another two-three floors of office/flex space the VSB can use and then a mix of social housing and commercial condos on top.

Haven't been to the Mount Pleasant VPL in a while - does it really need a replacement already?

[casper]

Originally Posted by Migrant_Coconut

Haven't been to the Mount Pleasant VPL in a while - does it really need a replacement already?

I thought they still had a branch in Kingsgate mall. I guess that is long moved out.

[jollyburger]

Originally Posted by casper

I thought they still had a branch in Kingsgate mall. I guess that is long moved out.

There's that new community centre building at the corner of Kingsway/Main that got built a few years ago.

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by jollyburger

There's that new community centre building at the corner of Kingsway/Main that got built a few years ago.

Completed 11 years ago